# Peter Sallis

Peter John Sallis (1 February 1921 – 2 June 2017) was an English actor. He was the original voice of Wallace in the Academy Award-winning Wallace & Gromit films and played Norman "Cleggy" Clegg in Last of the Summer Wine from its 1973 inception until the final episode in 2010, making him the only actor to appear in all 295 episodes. Additionally, he portrayed Norman Clegg's father in the prequel series First of the Summer Wine.
Among his television credits, Sallis appeared in Danger Man, The Avengers, Doctor Who (The Ice Warriors), The Persuaders! and The Ghosts of Motley Hall. Sallis' film appearances included the Hammer horror films The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) and Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970).

## Early life

Peter John Sallis was born on 1 February 1921 in Twickenham, Middlesex (now in Greater London), the only child of bank manager Harry Sallis (1889–1964) and Dorothy Amea Frances (née Barnard; 1891–1975). After attending Minchenden Grammar School in Southgate, Sallis went to work in a bank, working on shipping transactions. He and his family moved to Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, after his mother had fallen in love with her physician. But he continued to attend school, for a year, at Minchenden. After the outbreak of the Second World War, he joined the Royal Air Force. He was unable to serve as aircrew because of a serum albumin disorder and was told he might black out at high altitudes. He became a wireless mechanic instead and went on to teach radio procedures at RAF Cranwell for which he won a Korda Scholarship.

## Career
### Theatre work

Sallis appeared in the Hal Prince-produced musical She Loves Me in 1963. Though not a success, it led to him making his Broadway debut the following year. Prince was producer of a musical based on the work of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes called Baker Street. Sallis was asked by Prince to take the role of Dr. Watson to Fritz Weaver's Sherlock Holmes. The show ran for six months on Broadway. Just before Baker Street ended he was offered the role of Wally in John Osborne's Inadmissible Evidence, which had been played by Arthur Lowe in London with Nicol Williamson reprising the lead role. The production was troubled with Williamson hitting producer David Merrick with a bottle and walking out before being persuaded to continue. The show was a minor success and ran for six months in New York, opening at the Belasco Theatre before transferring to the Shubert Theater. Sallis reprised his role in the 1968 film adaptation. Later, he was in the first West End production of Cabaret in 1968 opposite Judi Dench.

### Television and films

Sallis appeared in more than 150 films and in more than 170 television shows. From 1955–1979 Sallis appeared in many of the ITV and BBC playhouse/play/theatre programmes including ITV Television Playhouse, Play of the Week, Sunday Night Theatre, World Theatre, BBC Sunday Night Play, Musical Playhouse, Armchair Theatre, The Wednesday Play, Play of the Month, Plays of Today, Thirty Minute Theatre, Comedy Playhouse, Play for Today, Armchair Cinema, Playhouse, BBC2 Playhouse and Jackanory Playhouse.
In 1956 Sallis appeared in three episodes of the television series Strange Experiences, playing a different character in each episode, such as criminal Squishy Taylor in the episode "Safe and Sound"; pickpocket Chippy Griggs in the episode "The Pickpocket"; and a Poor Man in the episode "The Inveterate Gambler". Sallis was also the only guest star actor to appear in more than one episode out of all the cast members from the TV series. The episodes "Safe and Sound" and "The Knife Thrower" were first shown in the 1955 TV movie/TV play Fcb TV Show No.1. They were included in the TV movie/TV play to give some idea of how an evening's viewing might appear on the forthcoming ITA channel in London. Both of the episodes where eventually given a separate release on television by themselves as episodes of the TV series Strange Experiences in 1956.
Sallis' first extended television role came in 1958 where he played Samuel Pepys in the BBC serial The Diary of Samuel Pepys. That same year Sallis started in the TV series The Black Arrow as Sir Oliver Oates and he appeared in the TV series The Lost King as abbe Fleuriel in the episode "Monsieur Charles Deslys". In 1959 Sallis played Cady in the 1959 TV series The Widow of Bath based on the book of the same name by Margot Bennett. He appeared in Jango in the episode "Treacle on Three Fingers" (1961) as Oscar Grant. He appeared in Danger Man in the episode "Find and Destroy" (1961) as Gordon.
In 1962 Sallis appeared in Maigret in the episode "The Reluctant Witnesses" as Armand Lachaume. In 1963 Sallis played the lead role of the scientist Mad Willy in the Drama and Mystery series The Chem. Lab. Mystery. In 1964 Sallis played a big role in the TV series The Avengers where played role of Hal Anderson in the episode "The Wringer". He appeared in the BBC Doctor Who story "The Ice Warriors" (1967), playing renegade scientist Elric Penley; and in 1983 was due to play the role of Striker in another Doctor Who serial, "Enlightenment", but had to withdraw.
Sallis appeared as schoolteacher Mr Gladstone in an episode of the first series of Catweazle in 1970. He was cast in the BBC comedy sitcom series The Culture Vultures (1970), which saw him play stuffy Professor George Hobbs to Leslie Phillips's laid-back rogue Dr Michael Cunningham. During the production, Phillips was rushed to hospital with an internal haemorrhage and as a result, only five episodes were completed.
He appeared three times in the British police series Softly, Softly: Task Force. First in 1971 in the episode "Cash and Carry" as Lodge, then 1975 in the episode "High Life" as Professor Dowell and in 1976 in the episode "A Shot in the Dark" as Edward Letheridge.
In 1971 Sallis played a lead role in the TV series The Ten Commandments in the episode "The Nineteenth Hole" where he played the second commandment named Gerry.
Sallis started alongside Robin Ellis, Suzanne Neve, Garfield Morgan, Margaret Courtenay, Elvi Hale, John Bryans, Maurice Quick, James Cossins and Arthur Pentelow in the 1971 British TV Series Bel Ami, based on the French novel by Guy de Maupassant. Sallis played the character Norbert de Varenne in four episodes of the series.
Sallis acted alongside Roger Moore and Tony Curtis in an episode of The Persuaders! ("The Long Goodbye", 1971). He appeared in many British films of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s including Child's Play (1954), Anastasia (1956), The Doctor's Dilemma (1958), The Scapegoat (1959), Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Doctor in Love (1960), No Love for Johnnie, The Curse of the Werewolf (1961), I Thank a Fool (1962), The Mouse on the Moon, The V.I.P.s , Clash by Night (1963), The Third Secret (1964), Rapture (1965), Charlie Bubbles, Inadmissible Evidence (1968), The Reckoning, Scream and Scream Again, Taste the Blood of Dracula, My Lover My Son, Wuthering Heights (1970), The Night Digger (1971), The Incredible Sarah (1976), Full Circle (1977) and Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978).
Sallis appeared in many British TV movies/TV plays of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 2000s, including Fcb TV Show No.1 (1955), Kitty Clive (1956), Cinderella (1958), David and Broccoli (1960), Candida (1961), Heart to Heart (1962), Who Killed Lamb?, Graceless Go I (1974), The Secret Agent (1975), Across A Crowded Room (1978), She Loves Me (1979), The Secret Diaries of the Film Censors, A Dangerous Kind of Love, That's Television Entertainment (1986), A Tale of Two Toads (1989) and Belonging (2004).
Additionally in 1968, he was cast as the well-intentioned Coker in a BBC Radio production of John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids.
Sallis played a priest in the TV film Frankenstein: The True Story (1973), and the following year played Mr Bonteen in the BBC period drama The Pallisers.

### Later career

In 1972, Sallis played Mr. Bruff in three episodes of the 1972 TV series The Moonstone, based on the book of the same name by Wilkie Collins. In the same period he started alongside Edward Woodward, T.P. McKenna, Russell Hunter and William Squire in the TV series Callan in the episode "The Richardmond File: A Man Like Me" as Routledge as well as his role as Sammy Harrison in two episodes of the TV series Kate.
Sallis was cast in the pilot for Comedy Playhouse which became the first episode of Last of the Summer Wine (retrospectively titled Of Funerals and Fish, 1973) as the unobtrusive lover of a quiet life, Norman Clegg. The pilot was successful and the BBC commissioned a series. Sallis had already worked on stage with Michael Bates, who played the self-appointed leader Blamire in the first two series. Sallis played the role of Clegg from 1973 to 2010, and was the only cast member to appear in every episode. He also appeared, in 1988, as Clegg's father in First of the Summer Wine, a prequel to Last of the Summer Wine set in 1939.
In 1974 Sallis started alongside Glyn Owen, Isobel Black, John Thaw, Roland Curram, Jill Dixon and John Bown in the TV show The Capone Investment. Sallis appeared twice in the TV series Crown Court first in 1974 in "Triangle" as Gerald Prosser in all three parts and again in 1977 in "Such a Charming Man" as Insp. George Storton in all three parts. He appeared in Prometheus: The Life of Balzac in the episode "The Race of Death" (1975) as Victor Hugo. He appeared in the children's series The Ghosts of Motley Hall (1976–78), in which he played Arnold Gudgin, an estate agent who did not want to see the hall fall into the wrong hands, and he played Rodney Gloss in the BBC series Murder Most English (1977). Sallis also appeared in the TV series Yanks Go Home where he played Randell Todd in four episodes in 1977. In the same period, he starred alongside Northern comic actor David Roper in the ITV sitcom Leave it to Charlie as Charlie's pessimistic boss. The programme ran for four series, ending in 1980. Sallis also played the part of the ghost-hunter Milton Guest in the children's paranormal drama series The Clifton House Mystery (1978). In 1980 he appeared in Lady Killers in the episode "Not for the Nervous" (1980) as O'Brien and that same year he also appeared in Tales of the Unexpected in the episode "A Picture of a Place" (1980) as Solicitor. In 1984 Sallis played Leonard March in three episodes of the TV series Strangers and Brothers.
In 1990 Sallis played another major acting role in the TV series titled Come Home Charlie and Face Them based on the book of the same name by R. F. Delderfield. In the series Sallis played role of Evan Rhys-Jones in all three episodes of the series. In the series Evan Rhys-Jones and his wife Gwladys Rhys-Jones immediately start throwing their daughter, 27-year-old Ida Rhys-Jones, at Charlie.

### Voice acting

In his autobiography, Fading into the Limelight, Sallis recounts a meeting with Orson Welles, where he received a mysterious telephone call summoning him to the deserted Gare d'Orsay in Paris where Welles announced he wanted him to dub Hungarian bit-players in his film adaptation of Franz Kafka's The Trial (1962). Sallis wrote that "the episode was Kafka-esque, to coin a phrase". Sallis was the narrator on Rocky Hollow (1983) for all 26 episodes. He voiced Rat in The Wind in the Willows (1984–90), based on the book by Kenneth Grahame and produced by Cosgrove Hall Films, alongside Michael Hordern as Badger, David Jason as Toad and Richard Pearson as Mole. Also in 1983 he played the lead character Jim Bloggs, alongside Brenda Bruce as Hilda, in a BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Raymond Briggs' When the Wind Blows. From 1986-1987 Sallis voiced Harold in all six episodes of the BBC Radio series Living with Betty and he also voiced the lead character Hercule Poirot, alongside Manning Wilson as Col Johnson, in a BBC Radio 4 audio cassette titled Hercule Poirot's Christmas. In 1996 Sallis narrated two audiobooks from the Little Bear book series those being Little Bear and Little Bear's Visit. Sallis appeared in the last episode of Rumpole of the Bailey (1992) and he later starred alongside Brenda Blethyn, Kevin Whately and Anna Massey in the one-off ITV1 drama Belonging (2004).
During the 1980s to the 1990s, Sallis provided the voiceover for the Polo Mint television adverts as well as voiceover and live action appearances for many other adverts such as Heinz Classic Soup Cream of Chicken with White Wine, Panasonic, Contac 400, Lift Lemon Tea, Hotpoint, Persil Liquid, Super Poli-Grip, Shredded Wheat Gold, Zoflora Disinfectant, Sudafed, Medinex, Flymo Ventura Lawnmower, Flymo Turbo Compact, Mr Muscle Sink and Plughole Unblocker and Beamish.
Sallis also voiced Hugo in the animated series Victor and Hugo: Bunglers in Crime (filling in for The Wind in the Willows co-star David Jason who was the usual voice of Hugo, although Jason's voice of Hugo can still be heard in the opening and closing theme songs) for audio cassettes as well. He narrated "Postman Pat's Parcel of Stories" in the children's television series Postman Pat for audio cassettes. In 2005 Sallis narrated the audio CD of Six-Dinner Sid based on the book of the same name by Inga Moore. The following year when Sallis released his autobiography book titled Fading into the Limelight: Peter Sallis the Autobiography he also narrated his autobiography book for an audio CD that was released the same year.
In 2001 Sallis had a cameo voiceover role in the TV movie Hotel! where he provided the radio voice of Little Ashford Flying Club.
While a student in 1983, Nick Park wrote to Sallis asking him if he would voice his character Wallace, an eccentric inventor. Sallis agreed to do so for a donation of £50 to his favourite charity. The work was eventually released in 1989 and Aardman Animations' Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out went on to win a BAFTA award. Sallis reprised his role in the Oscar and BAFTA Award-winning films The Wrong Trousers in 1993 and A Close Shave in 1995.
Throughout the late 1990s to the early 2000s Sallis continued to voice Wallace in many Wallace & Gromit video games, adverts and audio cassettes, and returned to voice Wallace in 2002 TV series Wallace & Gromit's Cracking Contraptions and in the Oscar-winning 2005 motion picture film Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, for which he won an Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production. In 2008, Sallis voiced a new Wallace & Gromit adventure, A Matter of Loaf and Death. Following the Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Sallis's eyesight began to fail as a result of macular degeneration and he used a talking portable typewriter with a specially illuminated scanner to continue working. His last role as Wallace was in 2010's Wallace & Gromit's World of Invention. Two years later Sallis retired from acting due to ill health, with Ben Whitehead taking over as the voice of Wallace.

## Autobiography

In 2006, Sallis published an autobiography entitled Fading into the Limelight. As well as his 36 years in Last of the Summer Wine, Sallis also recounts the early era of his relationship with Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park when it took six years for A Grand Day Out to be completed. He says that his work as Wallace has "raised his standing a few notches in the public eye".

## Personal life

Sallis married actress Elaine Usher at St. John's Wood Church in London on 9 February 1957. However, it was a turbulent relationship, with Usher leaving him sixteen times before they divorced in 1965 on grounds of desertion and adultery. They eventually reconciled and continued to live together until 1999. Sallis remained close to Usher until her death in 2014. They had one son, Crispian Sallis (born 1959), and two grandchildren. Sallis also had three cats.
Sallis suffered from macular degeneration, and in 2005 recorded an appeal on BBC Radio 4 on behalf of the Macular Society, of which he was a patron. He also recorded on behalf of the society a television appeal, which was broadcast on BBC One on 8 March 2009. Following his diagnosis of the disease, Aardman produced a short animated film for the society.
Sallis was awarded the OBE in the 2007 Birthday Honours for services to Drama. On 17 May 2009, he appeared on the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs, selecting Sibelius' Symphony No. 5 in E-flat major as his favourite.

## Death

Sallis died from natural causes at the Denville Hall nursing home in Northwood, London on 2 June 2017, aged 96. He was buried next to fellow Last of the Summer Wine actor Bill Owen in the churchyard of St John's Parish Church, Upperthong, near the town of Holmfirth in Yorkshire, the home of the sitcom.

## Stage credits
### Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Director | Theatre |
| 1943 | Hay Fever | Unknown | Noël Coward | Unknown |
| 1946 | The Scheming Lieutenant | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 1949 | Grand National Night | Unknown | Lionel Dunn | Civic Theatre, Chesterfield |
| 1949 | Suspect | Unknown | Lionel Dunn | Civic Theatre, Chesterfield |
| 1951 | Three Sisters | Alexei Petrovitch Fedotik | Peter Ashmore | Aldwych Theatre |
| 1951 | Summer and Smoke | Roger Doremus | Peter Glenville | Lyric Theatre, Duchess Theatre |
| 1951 | Timon of Athens | Unknown | Tyrone Guthrie | The Old Vic |
| 1953 | The Way of the World | Waitwell | John Gielgud | Lyric Theatre |
| 1953 | Venice Preserv'd | Retrosi | Thomas Otway | Lyric Theatre |
| 1954 | The Dark Is Light Enough | 1st Soldier | Unknown | West End theatre |
| 1954 | The Matchmaker | A Musician, Joe Scanlon | Tyrone Guthrie | Theatre Royal Haymarket |
| 1955 | Into Thin Air | Virgil Penny | Garson Kanin | Cambridge Arts Theatre, Theatre Royal, Brighton, Prince of Wales Theatre, Cardiff, Streatham Hill Theatre, Golders Green Hippodrome, Gielgud Theatre |
| 1955 | Moby Dick—Rehearsed | A Stage Manager/ Flask | Orson Welles | Duke of York's Theatre |
| 1955 | The Count of Clerambard | Priest | Murray Macdonald | Royal Lyceum Theatre, Theatre Royal, Newcastle, Manchester Opera House, Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, Theatre Royal, Brighton, Garrick Theatre, Streatham Hill Theatre, Golders Green Hippodrome |
| 1956 | The Rivals | Fag | John Clements | Saville Theatre, Royal Lyceum Theatre |
| 1956 | Nude with Violin | Clinton Preminger | John Gielgud | Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, Manchester Opera House, Theatre Royal, Newcastle, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Gielgud Theatre |
| 1956 | Who Cares? | J.G. | Basil Dean | Fortune Theatre |
| 1957 | Janus | Denny | Lionel Harris | Theatre Royal, Brighton, Aldwych Theatre |
| 1957 | Be My Guest | Frank Verhoff | Peter Wood | Theatre Royal, Brighton, Streatham Hill Theatre, Palace Theatre, Manchester, Grand Theatre, Blackpool, Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, Gillian Lynne Theatre |
| 1958 | The Day Before Yesterday | Ug | Peter Coe | Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch |
| 1959 | Brand | Doctor, Provost | Michael Elliott | Lyric Theatre |
| 1959 | Look After Lulu! | Gigot | Noël Coward | Royal Court Theatre |
| 1960 | Rhinoceros | Bottard | Eugène Ionesco | Royal Court Theatre, West End theatre, Novello Theatre |
| 1962 | Two Stars for Comfort | Mr. Moxer | Michael Elliott | Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, Manchester Opera House, Grand Theatre, Blackpool, Garrick Theatre, Golders Green Hippodrome |
| 1963 | A Shot in the Dark | Morestan | Harold Clurman | Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool Lyric Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Brighton |
| 1964 | She Loves Me | Mr Maraczek | Harold Prince | West End theatre |
| 1964 | Inadmissible Evidence | Hudson | Anthony Page | Belasco Theatre, Shubert Theatre |
| 1965 | Baker Street | Dr. Watson | Fritz Weaver | Broadway theatre |
| 1966 | Wait Until Dark | Roat | Arthur Penn | West End theatre |
| 1968 | Cabaret | Herr Schultz | Harold Prince | Palace Theatre, London |
| 1969 | Anything for Baby | Nicky | Patrick Cargill | New Wimbledon Theatre, Theatre Royal, Brighton, Grand Theatre, Leeds, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth, Theatre Royal, Norwich |
| 1972 | A Doll's House | Nils Krogstad | Hugh Goldie | Forum Theatre, Billingham, Rex Theatre, Wilmslow, New Wimbledon Theatre, New Theatre, Cardiff, The Alexandra, Birmingham, Kings Theatre, Southsea |
| 1974 | The Pay-Off | Edwin Palmer | Nigel Patrick | Theatre Royal, Brighton, Harold Pinter Theatre, Westminster Theatre |
| 1980 | Much Ado About Nothing | Verges | Peter Dews | Chichester Festival Theatre |
| 1982 | Sisterly Feelings | Dr Ralph Matthews | Peter Barkworth | Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Ashcroft Theatre, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Theatre Royal, Brighton, Richmond Theatre, Towngate Theatre, Poole, New Theatre Oxford |
| 1983 | The Wizard of Oz | Cowardly Lion | Teddy Green | Congress Theatre |
| 1983 | Pride and Prejudice | Mr Bennet | Bill Pryde | Theatre Royal, Bath, Ashcroft Theatre |
| 1985 | Pride and Prejudice | Mr Bennet | Bill Pryde | Leicester Haymarket Theatre, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, The Old Vic |
| 1987 | Three Sisters | Dr Chebutykin | Elijah Moshinsky | Greenwich Theatre, Noël Coward Theatre |
| 1989 | Ivanov | Lyebedev | Elijah Moshinsky | UK Tour, Novello Theatre |
| 1989 | Much Ado About Nothing | Dogberry | Elijah Moshinsky | Novello Theatre |

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1947 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Quince | |
| 1948 | Scenes from Twelfth Night and Macbeth | Sir Toby Belch | |
| 1948 | Scenes from Twelfth Night and Macbeth/II | Sir Toby Belch | |
| 1951 | Mr. Denning Drives North | Minor Role | Uncredited |
| 1953 | King in Motley | Will | |
| 1953 | The New Shilling | Mr. Bligh | |
| 1954 | Stranger from Venus | Soldier | Uncredited |
| 1954 | Child's Play | Bill (grocery merchant) | Filmed in 1952 |
| 1954 | Nineteen Eighty-Four | Unknown | |
| 1955 | Fcb TV Show No.1 | Guest | |
| 1955 | Moby Dick Rehearsed | Actor | |
| 1955 | Cheltenham Festival of Contemporary Literature | Oscar Wilde | |
| 1956 | Kitty Clive | John Hall | |
| 1956 | Anastasia | Grischa | Uncredited |
| 1958 | A Night to Remember | Minor Role | Uncredited |
| 1958 | The Doctor's Dilemma | Secretary at Picture Gallery | |
| 1958 | Cinderella | Baron Aristide de Pennilac | |
| 1959 | The Scapegoat | Customs Official | |
| 1960 | David and Broccoli | Mr. Slingsby | |
| 1960 | Doctor in Love | Love-Struck Patient | Uncredited |
| 1960 | The Millionairess | Minor Role | Uncredited |
| 1960 | The Poet | Giulio | |
| 1960 | Saturday Night and Sunday Morning | Man in Suit | Uncredited |
| 1960 | The Adventures of Alice | Tweedledee | |
| 1961 | No Love for Johnnie | M.P. | |
| 1961 | Dear Charles | Edward | |
| 1961 | The Curse of the Werewolf | Don Enrique | |
| 1961 | The Renegade | Henry Stolt | |
| 1961 | Candida | Rev. Alexander Mill | |
| 1962 | I Thank a Fool | Sleazy Doctor | |
| 1962 | The Trial | Uncle Max (voice) | |
| 1963 | The Mouse on the Moon | Russian Delegate | |
| 1963 | The V.I.P.s | Doctor | |
| 1963 | Clash by Night | Victor Lush | |
| 1964 | Don't Ever Talk to Clocks | Unknown | |
| 1964 | The Third Secret | Lawrence Jacks | |
| 1965 | Rapture | Armand | |
| 1966 | The Bible: In the Beginning... | Minor Role | Uncredited |
| 1968 | Charlie Bubbles | Solicitor | |
| 1968 | Inadmissible Evidence | Hudson | |
| 1970 | Menace | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1970 | The Reckoning | Keresley | |
| 1970 | Scream and Scream Again | Schweitz | |
| 1970 | Taste the Blood of Dracula | Samuel Paxton | |
| 1970 | My Lover, My Son | Sir Sidney Brent | |
| 1970 | Marie Stopes: Sexual Revolutionary | Ernest Charles, KC | |
| 1970 | Wuthering Heights | Mr. Shielders | |
| 1971 | The Night Digger | Reverend Rupert Palafox | |
| 1971 | The Bristol Entertainment | Unknown | |
| 1972 | The Reprieve | Cossack Horseman | |
| 1973 | Hitler: The Last Ten Days | Banker #2 | |
| 1973 | Frankenstein: The True Story | Priest | |
| 1974 | Who Killed Lamb? | Lloyd | |
| 1974 | Graceless Go I | Guest Star | |
| 1975 | The Secret Agent | Chief Inspector Heat | |
| 1975 | The Snowdropper | Spicer | |
| 1976 | The Incredible Sarah | Thierry | |
| 1977 | Full Circle | Jeffrey Branscombe | |
| 1978 | Across a Crowded Room | Cyril Smallpiece | |
| 1978 | Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? | St. Claire | |
| 1979 | She Loves Me | Ladislav Sipos | |
| 1982 | Witness for the Prosecution | Carter | |
| 1982 | The Funny Side of Christmas | Clegg | |
| 1986 | The Secret Diary's of the Film Censors | Unknown | |
| 1986 | A Dangerous Kind of Love | Mr. Walker | |
| 1986 | That's Television Television | Clegg | |
| 1989 | A Tale of Two Toads | Rat (voice) | |
| 1989 | A Grand Day Out | Wallace (voice) | |
| 1993 | The Wrong Trousers | Wallace (voice) | |
| 1995 | A Close Shave | Wallace (voice) | |
| 1998 | Everyday Readers | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1999 | Shaggy Dog Story | Norman Clegg | |
| 2001 | Hotel! | Radio Voice of little Ashford Flying Club | Uncredited |
| 2004 | Belonging | Nathan | |
| 2005 | Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit | Wallace, Hutch (voice) | Won – Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production |
| 2005 | Colour Me Kubrick | The Second Patient | Cameo appearance |
| 2008 | A Matter of Loaf and Death | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2012 | The Lark Ascending | Self | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1948 | For The Children | Sir Toby Belch | Episode: "Scenes from Twelfth Night and Macbeth" |
| 1952 | The March of the Peasants | Blakeley | Episode: "The Raven's Father" |
| 1953 | The Heir of Skipton | Thomas | 4 episodes |
| 1955–1961 | ITV Television Playhouse | Daniel Kevin, Corporal Foster, Professor Coogan, Pasquale Sanzio, Peter | 5 episodes |
| 1956 | Strange Experiences | Squishy Taylor, Chippy Criggs, Poor Man | 3 episodes |
| 1957–1963 | Play of the Week | Homer Bolton, Hannibal, 'Dusty' Miller | 3 episodes |
| 1957–1959 | Sunday Night Theatre | J. G., Snug, Wallace Porter | 3 episodes |
| 1958 | The Black Arrow | Sir Oliver Oates | 4 episodes |
| 1958 | The Diary of Samuel Pepys | Samuel Pepys | 14 episodes |
| 1958 | The Invisible Man | Nesib | Episode: "Crisis in the Desert" |
| 1958 | The Lost King | Abbe Fleuriel | Episode: "Monsieur Charles Deslys" |
| 1959 | The Widow of Bath | Cady | 6 episodes |
| 1959 | World Theatre | Barere, Simon, Prisoner, Doctor, Provost | 2 episodes |
| 1960–1963 | BBC Sunday-Night Play | Robinet, Capt. Hardy, Hesketh-Payne, Harry Shell, Danny Fellows, Housing clerk, Gerald Swinney | 7 episodes |
| 1960 | Musical Playhouse | Max | 1 episode |
| 1960 | International Detective | Eugene Payas | 1 episode |
| 1960–1973 | Armchair Theatre | Sam Carter, Alfred Purdie, Mr. Pender, Onslow | 5 episodes |
| 1961 | Jango | Oscar Grant | 1 episode |
| 1961 | Danger Man | John Gordon | Episode: "Find and Destroy" |
| 1961 | Amelia | William Hogarth | 7 episodes |
| 1961 | A Chance of Thunder | Howard | 3 episodes |
| 1962 | Maigret | Armand Lachaume | Episode: "The Reluctant Witnesses" |
| 1962 | The Largest Theatre in the World | Frank Godsell | Episode: "Heart to Heart" |
| 1962 | Crying Down the Lane | Champion | 6 episodes |
| 1963 | The Chem. Lab. Mystery | Mad Willy | 6 episodes |
| 1963 | It Happened Like This | Bill Canford | Episode: "The Hidden Witness" |
| 1963–1964 | Drama 61-67 | Philip Mallard, Ronald Green | 2 episodes |
| 1963–1964 | Z-Cars | Seaton, Williams | 2 episodes |
| 1963–1964 | Festival | Captain of the Fire Brigade, Romainville | 2 episodes |
| 1963 | Zero One | Major Konel | Episode: "The Trial" |
| 1964 | The Avengers | Hal Anderson | Episode: "The Wringer" |
| 1964 | Story Box | Bilbo Baggins | 2 episodes |
| 1964 | Detective | Man | Episode: "The Drawing" |
| 1964 | Sergeant Cork | Rev. Hubert Wales, Feng | 2 episodes |
| 1964 | The Sullavan Brothers | Kenneth K. Hirst | Episode: "A Question of Honor" |
| 1965–1971 | Public Eye | Colin Renolds, Eddie Meadows | 2 episodes |
| 1966 | Knock on Any Door | Stannage | Episode: "A Laugh in the Dark Question" |
| 1966 | Blackmail | Miles Beckett | Episode: "The Setup" |
| 1967 | Doctor Who | Penley | Serial: "The Ice Warriors" |
| 1968–1969 | The Wednesday Play | Eric, Unknown | 3 episodes |
| 1969–1978 | Omnibus | Guest, Mirbeau | 4 episodes |
| 1969 | Play of the Month | Unknown | Episode: Maigret at Bay |
| 1969 | Plays of Today | Mr. Street | Episode: The Ladies: Joan |
| 1970 | Catweazle | Stuffy Gladstone | Episode: "The Curse of Rapykin" |
| 1970 | Mystery and Imagination | Brogden, Mundel, Hopkins | Episode: "Sweeney Todd" |
| 1970 | Parkin's Patch | Chief Supt. Mitchum | Episode: "Two Gentlemen Standing" |
| 1970 | The Culture Vultures | Professor George Hobbes | 3 episodes |
| 1970 | The Troubleshooters | Henry Wynn | Episode: "We All Need Experts" |
| 1970 | Menace | Sonny Waters | Episode: "The Millicent Sisters, Edward de Bruno and Ruth - Where Are They Now?" |
| 1971–1976 | Hadleigh | Dakin, Strapper Strapton | 2 episodes |
| 1971–1976 | Softly, Softly: Task Force | Lodge, Professor Dowell, Edward Letheridge | 3 episodes |
| 1971 | Thirty-Minute Theatre | Lumley | Episode: The Railwayman's New Clothes" |
| 1971 | The Ten Commandments | Gerry | Episode: "The Nineteenth Hole" |
| 1971 | Budgie | Peter Olliphant | Episode: "Grandee Hotel" |
| 1971 | Bel Ami | Norbert de Varenne | 4 episodes |
| 1971 | Paul Temple | George Robertson | Episode: "The Quick and the Dead" |
| 1971 | Trial | Almond | Episode: "Debris" |
| 1971 | Justice | Coroner | Episode: "When Did You First Feel the Pain?" |
| 1971 | The Persuaders! | David Piper | Episode: "The Long Goodbye" |
| 1972 | Spyder's Web | Grovnik | Episode: "Romance on Wheels" |
| 1972 | The Moonstone | Mr. Bruff | 3 episodes |
| 1972 | Callan | Routledge | Episode: "The Richmond File: A Man Like Me" |
| 1972 | Kate | Sammy Harrison | 2 episodes |
| 1973–2010 | Last of the Summer Wine | Norman Clegg | 295 episodes |
| 1973 | Comedy Playhouse | Norman Clegg | Episode: "Of Funerals and Fish" |
| 1973–1974 | Thriller | Man, Lloyd | 2 episodes |
| 1973–1981 | Play for Today | Austin Melcroft, Minor Role, Minor Role, Shushin | 4 episodes |
| 1973 | The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes | Dr. Jervis | Episode: "The Moabite Cypher" |
| 1973 | For the Sake of Appearance | Samuel Pepys | Episode: "Perukes and Periwigs" |
| 1974 | Barlow at Large | Joseph Miller | Episode: "Snatch" |
| 1974 | The Pallisers | Mr Bonteen | 5 episodes |
| 1974 | Armchair Cinema | Benitet | Episode: The Prison |
| 1974 | The Capone Investment | Wheatfield | 6 episodes |
| 1974–1977 | Crown Court | Gerald Prosser, Insp. George Storton | 6 episodes |
| 1974–1979 | Playhouse | Patient, Leslie | 2 episodes |
| 1975 | Prometheus: The Life of Balzac | Victor Hugo | Episode: "The Race to Death" |
| 1976–1978 | The Ghosts of Motley Hall | Mr. Gudgin, Old Gudgin | 15 episodes |
| 1976 | BBC2 Playhouse | Major Venables | Episode: The Mind Beyond: The Daedalus Equations |
| 1976 | The Mind Beyond | Major Venables | 1 episode |
| 1976 | Jackanory Playhouse | Deor | Episode: The Winter Warrior |
| 1977 | Raffles | Kingsmill | Episode: "The Gold Cup" |
| 1977 | Murder Most English: A Falxborough Chronicle | Rodney Gloss | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | Yanks Go Home | Randall Todd | 4 episodes |
| 1977 | Premiere | Ernest | Episode: "The Obelisk" |
| 1978 | The Clifton House Mystery | Milton Guest | 3 episodes |
| 1978–1980 | Leave it to Charlie | Arthur Simister, Alfred Simister | 26 episodes |
| 1979 | Room Service | Mr. Fellows | Episode 1.3 |
| 1980 | Ladykillers | O'Brien | Episode: "Not for the Nervous" |
| 1980 | Tales of the Unexpected | Solicitor | Episode: "A Picture of a Place" |
| 1982 | The Kids International Show | Clegg | Episode 1.1 |
| 1982 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Carter | |
| 1983–2008 | 60 Minutes | Mr Bennet, Guest | 2 episodes |
| 1984 | Strangers and Brothers | Leonard March | 3 episodes |
| 1984–1990 | The Wind in the Willows | Ratty (voice) | 66 episodes |
| 1985 | Rocky Hollow | Narrator (voice) | 26 episodes |
| 1986 | Mountain Men | Mr. Walker | Episode: "A Dangerous Kind of Love" |
| 1987 | The New Statesman | Sidney Bliss | 2 episodes |
| 1987 | The Bretts | Dr. Woodward | Episode: "The Actresss and the Bishop" |
| 1987 | Last of the Summer Wine: Big Day at Dream Acres | Clegg | |
| 1988–1989 | First of the Summer Wine | Mr David Clegg | 13 episodes |
| 1990 | Come Home Charlie and Face Them | Evans Rhys-Jones | 3 episodes |
| 1991–1992 | Victor & Hugo: Bunglers in Crime | Hugo (voice) | 30 episodes |
| 1992 | Rumpole of the Bailey | Henry Tong | Episode: "Rumpole on Trial" |
| 1996 | Q.E.D. | Narrator (voice) | 1 episode |
| 1996 | Wildlife Showcase | Narrator (voice) | 1 episode |
| 1997 | First Light | Guest | 1 episode |
| 1997 | Animal People | Narrator (voice) | 1 episode |
| 1997 | Exclusive | Guest | 1 episode |
| 1998 | Rex the Runt | Wallace (voice) | 1 episode |
| 1999 | Whatever You Want | Clegg | 1 episode |
| 2000 | Turning Point | Guest | 1 episode |
| 2001 | Holby City | Lionel Davis | Episode: "The Mourning After" |
| 2001 | Then and Now | Guest | 1 episode |
| 2002 | Wallace & Gromit's Cracking Contraptions | Wallace (voice) | 10 episodes |
| 2003 | Balamory | Man at Train Station | Episode: "Snowflake Fairy" |
| 2003 | Sooty | (voice) | Episode: "Sooty's Ghost" |
| 2004 | Doctors | Arthur Weartherill | Episode: "A Game of Soldiers" |
| 2007 | Eureka | Guest | Episode: "Sight Unseen" |
| 2009 | Kingdom | Cyril | Episode 3.1 |
| 2010 | Wallace & Gromit's World of Invention | Wallace (voice) | 6 episodes |

### Video

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998 | Wallace & Gromit in A Grand Day Out (English language teaching adaptation) | Wallace (voice) | 6 episodes |
| 1998 | Wallace & Gromit in The Wrong Trousers (English language teaching adaptation) | Wallace (voice) | 6 episodes |
| 1998 | Wallace & Gromit in A Close Shave (English language teaching adaptation) | Wallace (voice) | 7 episodes |

### Commercials

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | Polo "Something Missing" | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1984 | Polo "Sorry" | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1984 | Polo "Straight Down The Middle" | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1984 | Polo "What's In A Name" | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1986 | Polo "Holy" | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1986 | Polo "Planet" | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1986 | Polo "Runners" | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1986 | Polo "Taste Drive" | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1986 | Polo "Trick" | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1995 | Polo "Corridor" | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1997-2000s | TV Licensing Commercial [Wallace & Gromit] | Wallace (voice) | |
| 1997 | Kellogg's Commercial [Wallace & Gromit] | Wallace (voice) | |
| 1998 | Reebok Theatre of Dreams | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2003 | Renault Kangoo-matic | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2004 | Jacobs Cracking | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2005 | PG Tips H-H-Hot | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2008 | BBC One Wallace & Gromit's Runaway Sled | Wallace (voice) | Partially voiced by Ben Whitehead |
| 2009 | Npower Boiler | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2009 | Npower Insheepsulation | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2009 | Children in Need Commercial [Wallace & Gromit] | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2009 | M&S Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without... | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2010 | Npower Widescreen | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2010 | Npower Hand of Dog | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2010 | BBC One They're back! | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2010 | BBC One Steam Powered Wheel Chair | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2024 | BBC One Ice Sculpture | Wallace (voice) | Archive recordings; Released posthumously |
| 2024 | Radio Times Wallace & Gromit Commercial | Wallace (voice) | Archive recordings; Released posthumously |

### Radio

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1967 | The War of the Worlds | Narrator | |
| 1968 | The Day of the Triffids | Coker | 2 episodes |
| 1971 | Haunted: Tales of the Supernatural | Narrator | |
| 1977 | The Importance of Being Earnest | Unknown | |
| 1983 | When the Wind Blows | Jim Bloggs | |
| 1986–1987 | Living With Betty | Betty | 6 episodes |
| 1992 | Postman Pat | Narrator | 6 episodes |
| 1993 | The Adventure of the Norwood Builder | Jones Oldacre | |
| 1996 | Wallace & Gromit | Wallace (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2000 | Hercule Poirot's Christmas | Hercule Poirot | |
| 2009 | Desert Island Discs | Himself | |
| 2012 | BBC Proms | Wallace (archive sound) | 1 episode |

### Audio CDs

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1996 | Little Bear | Narrator (voice) |
| 1996 | Little Bear's Visit | Narrator (voice) |
| 1997 | Wallace & Gromit and the Lost Slipper | Wallace (voice) |
| 1998 | Anoraknophobia | Wallace (voice) |
| 1999 | Crackers in Space | Wallace (voice) |
| 2005 | Six-Dinner Sid | Narrator (voice) |
| 2006 | Fading into the Limelight: Peter Sallis the Autobiography | Narrator (voice) |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1996 | Wallace & Gromit Fun Pack | Wallace (voice) | |
| 1997 | Wallace & Gromit Cracking Animator | Wallace (voice) | |
| 1998 | Wallace & Gromit Print O Matic | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2000 | Wallace & Gromit Fun Pack 2 | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2003 | Wallace & Gromit in Project Zoo | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2005 | Wallace & Gromit PG Tips Flash Game | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2005 | Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2005 | Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (DVD game) | Wallace (voice) | Uncredited |
| 2005 | Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Paint & Create | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2005 | Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Print Studio | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2009 | Wallace & Gromit: Top Bun | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2009 | Wallace & Gromit Adventures Java | Wallace (voice) | |
| 2010 | Wallace & Gromit: Wallace's Workshop | Wallace (voice) | |

### Covers

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1965 | "A Married Man" | Singer |
| 1968 | "It Couldn't Please Me More (Pineapple)" | Singer |
| 1968 | "Married" | Singer |
| 1968 | "Meeskite" | Singer |
| 1984 | "You've Got to Have a Little Bit of Style" | Singer |
| 1984 | "Fancy Dress" | Singer |
| 1984 | "We'll Go Boating" | Singer |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 1946 | Korda Scholarship | Work | Training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art | Won |
| 1999 | Unsung Heroes Award | Acting | Film and Television | Won |
| 2005 | Annie Award | Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production | Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit | Won |
| 2007 | Order of the British Empire (OBE) | Order of the British Empire (OBE) | Services to Drama | Honoured |